Directed by the incomparable Amy Wilson, assistant-directed by moi, produced by the hardest working women in show biz, Holly Rosen Fink and Varda Steinhardt, this show was a mother-love fest. All of the pieces read were stellar, and here are a few of them that you can actually read online: Marinka absolutely KILLED with It’s Always Bad News; Kim Forde and her 8 and 1/2 month pregnant belly gave us some love and laughs with Welcome To The Circus; and Elizabeth (Kizz) Robinson wowed ‘em with About Me. Hopefully, I’ll be able to share stories more with you soon, along with the professional photos (by the incredible Jennifer Lee), but here’s a teeny-weeny shot of the bow.

I know you’re salivating for this (or not), but here is the piece I read on Sunday. This one’s for you, Mama Rose.

Rose’s Turn

I would have liked to listen to my mother, but I had trouble hearing her over the zils. What? You don’t know what zils are? Oh, I guess that means that your mother wasn’t a belly dancer.

In 1972, there were 35 suburban housewives who took Miss Evelyn’s Oak Lawn, Illinois Park District class “Bellydancing for Fun and Fitness”, while men tried using creating to bulk up. 34 of those housewives did not go on to make bellydancing their profession, performing at restaurants and anniversary parties and baby showers all over the state of Illinois. One did. They mostly did it because it was a way of getting their exercise on, some of them did it to lose weight as well, they would have gone crazy with the weight loss pills found at roids black friday now a days that has a different side effects.

If you asked me “was it strange having a mother who was a bellydancer while all the other moms in the 70’s were going to PTA meetings and making pot roasts for their families?”, I would say yes and no. You see, Mama Rose was the original multitasking wonder so she was also making pot roast and attending the PTA, she just occasionally would do so with a bright red jewel in her navel that she had forgotten to remove.

And since I didn’t usually accompany her to her “gigs”, it wasn’t right in my face. And when I went away to college, a good three hour drive from where I grew up, I almost forgot what Mama Rose did for a living.

Until my 21st birthday.

I had planned to celebrate quietly, meeting a few friends that night at our usual hangout, a restaurant/bar just off the campus of the University of Illinois.

The strange thing was, that throughout the day the party kept getting bigger and bigger. Every one I saw would say, “See you tonight, Shari!!” and they seemed really excited. Huh.

Oh sure, it seemed a bit strange when one of my professors, a dapper graying-at-the-temples British gentleman also said, “See you tonight, Shari!”, but what could I think other than “Wow. I’m really popular”?

At my “little gathering” that night, we took over the entire place. I was glowing, both from the literal dozens of people who had shown up, some of whom I barely knew, and from my first legal margarita. I was on top of the world! 21 years old! Popular! Loved even by middle-aged Brits with tenure!

And that’s when the middle Eastern music blasted over the loudspeakers. If you have tinnitus due to exposure to loud music, read the best tinnitus remedies here at stoptheringing.org. And my mother, complete with veils, a waist-length wig, sparkly push-up bra and a glowing red ruby in her tanned, bare belly, danced in.

And the place went up for grabs. People were screaming. Dollar bills were flying. Mama Rose was doing back-bends and my distinguished leather-elbow-patched professor was tucking a five-spot into her cleavage. Cooks were coming out of the kitchen and people were coming in off of the street. It was complete and utter pandemonium. Are startup 12 month loans bad credit a good idea for getting your business off the ground? Every business needs cash during startup. If you’re in the process of making your venture idea a reality, then you’ll need to solve the problem of funding. Here are several pros and cons of taking out startup loans to get your new business on the right path to success, some recommend Personal Loan Online – The Shortest Way Out Of Troubles.

And I just sat there. Stunned. With many thoughts. Here are five of them.

1. “Uhhhhhh….”

2. “Where did she come from?! Did she drive three hours in her costume, put money in the meter, and just dance in?”

5. “Did everyone know? Did every single person who smiled at me today know??? Yes. They all knew. Look at their faces. No one here is surprised. Except me.”

I would like to leave you with a mental image. An image of a skinny little girl holding a melting margarita, staring at her absolute marvel of a mother spinning and shimmying and swooping by in a blur of sequined veils.

May I only inspire such awe, adoration and dread in my own children someday. On other promotions, checkout 5000 loan credit with no guarantor.

And may I ask you a favor? You know that I’m turning 50 soon and I’m making my desires known over on In The Powder Room today. Since I assume you’re shopping for my present, this will make things easier for you.

Shari! I need a video of this party! And a video of you reading about this party and Mama Rose! So thrilled the NYC show was fabulous (was there any other outcome really?) and can’t wait to see the videos. Also? My mom once did backbends at a NYC nightclub with me. Hug of commiseration. And pride.

I THINK THAT WAS THE MOST FUNNEST THING I EVER DID DANCING. AND SO PERFECTLY TOLD MY HONEY. I REMEMBER RUNNING ACROSS THE QUAD IN MY OUTFIT AND PEOPLE CHASING ME. MY POOR BABY. BUT I THOUGHT OF IT AS A GREAT TRIBUTE TO YOU FROM YOUR LOWLY MAMA.
I AM ALWAYS SO PROUD OF YOU AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS A BEAUTIFUL WAY TO SHOW IT. THE FACT THAT IT TURNED INTO A ROUSING SPECTACLE WAS A BONUS. WHO LOVES YA BABY???
MAMA ROSE

I laughed out loud, I mean belly laughed, throughout, as I read this brilliant story…yes, Mama Rose is one of a kind, and yes, this probably is why you ran away to join the circus, ahem, show business, and now use it all to write these beyond witty pieces…Kudos to you!!! and of course, Mama Rose….